§ 84. Commander Nobleasked the President of the Board of Trade why timber cannot be imported from the countries with which arrangements have been made for a supply of furniture; and what representations he has received about the possibility of unemployment in the British furniture-making industry owing to these arrangements with foreign suppliers.
§ Mr. BelcherThe hon. and gallant Member is under a misapprehension. The maximum quantity of timber available for export to the United Kingdom is being obtained from all countries with which arrangements have been made for the supply of furniture. The only countries from which furniture, but not timber, has been imported are Poland and Holland; these countries have no timber to export. No representations to the effect that the import of furniture is causing unemployment in the British furniture making industry have been made to us.